Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a flipper door which is capable of pivoting from a closed position to an open position in which the door is in non-retracted position. The door is capable of translationally moving from the open but non-retracted position to an open and retracted position.
Discussion of Related Art
Prior art flipper doors are typically used to provide access to the interior of a cabinet. Some designs include pinion gears attached to the door to allow the door to pivot to an open and horizontal position. Such pinion gears engage horizontal racks attached to the side walls of the cabinet. The pinion gears move along the racks resulting in the door being retracted into the cabinet. However, such prior art flipper doors can experience racking in which each pinion gear moves along the racks at different rates with respect to each other. This causes one side of the door to enter the cabinet faster than the other side of the door causing the door to jam against the side walls of the cabinet.
Another example of a flipper door is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,502 to Blodee et al. describes a cabinet employing a flipper door. The flipper door comprises a planar covering sheet such that when it is in a vertical position it covers the cabinet opening. The covering sheet has two pinions which are connected to a rod. The pinions are positioned on racks so as to provide a support for the covering sheet. To expose the cabinet opening, one pivots the covering sheet about the pinions and the rod to a horizontal position. The covering sheet is then pushed inwardly resulting in the pinions and the covering sheet moving along the racks to a position inside the cabinet.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,591,214 to Reuter et al. describes a cabinet door assembly comprising horizontal tracks mounted to each side wall of a cabinet. A panel is attached by hinges to tubing which encompasses an equalizer rod having spur gears attached to each end thereof. The panel covers the opening created by the cabinet when in a vertical position. As in Blodee et al., one uncovers the opening by pivoting the panel about the hinge until the panel is in a horizontal position. The panel is pushed from the horizontal position into the cabinet via the gears traveling along racks.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,600,254 to Whalen describes a flipper door using idler wheels which engage a surface integral with and above a rack.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,615,570 to Goodman describes a flipper door which is attached to an axle via links and brackets which are directly attached to the axle and door, respectively. The links and brackets are coupled to each other so as to couple the door to the axle. An end of the axle and a stud shaft move along a pair of channels which are located above a rack. Once the axle end and stud shaft make contact with the ends of the channels, the links allow the pivot axis of the flipper door to be shifted forwardly to enable the door to close over the front edges of the side walls of the cabinet.